ELCA NEWS SERVICE
May 6, 2008
World Food Emergency Prompts Special ELCA Assistance
08-058-FI
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- With the price of food rising,
especially in the world's poorest regions, members of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will
send an initial $100,000 to companion churches and
partner relief agencies to provide food to vulnerable
people and to strengthen development work in rural
communities. ELCA International Disaster Response
allocated $50,000 and the other half of the amount
will come from money the ELCA World Hunger Appeal
received in addition to reaching its goal for 2007.
The high cost of energy that makes it more expensive
to produce food, increasing demand in emerging economies,
the use of grain as a fuel source and weather -- drought
and floods in different regions that have damaged crops
-- are factors in a global food crisis, said the Rev.
Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global
Mission.
Those factors have combined with food security
issues -- international trade policies, access to markets,
government subsidies of farmers, and global distribution
of wealth and resources -- and a widening circle of
long-term issues -- environmental degradation, oil
depletion, population pressure and water scarcity,
Malpica Padilla said.
"Our church has consistently and persistently
addressed many of these factors in its year-in and
year-out work to reduce hunger and poverty. Indeed,
rural development and food security issues have been
key elements of our World Hunger work," he said.
"Today we see these factors reinforcing each other
in a truly vicious cycle that makes it increasingly
difficult for families to get enough to eat. Given
predictions that food prices will continue to rise,
we are particularly concerned about those who are the
most vulnerable, including those who live on a dollar
or less each day, those who are refugees, and those,
like AIDS orphans, who are dependent on others to
provide food and shelter," Malpica Padilla said.
"Thanks to the amazing generosity of ELCA members
and congregations, we have the capacity to expand our
response to this crisis," said Kathryn Sime, director,
ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal.
"In the midst of this crisis," Sime added, "I ask
the members of our church to join me in taking three
actions now on behalf of those who are most affected:
to pray for children, the elderly and all those most
vulnerable in this crisis, to give a special gift to
ELCA Disaster Response to respond where food aid is most
needed, and to continue giving to ELCA World Hunger
Appeal to combat the root causes of chronic poverty and
hunger."
The ELCA World Hunger Program supports companion
churches and partner organizations that carry out domestic
and international relief and development with grants from
money raised by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
Coordinated by ELCA Global Mission, International
Disaster Response channels its funds through international
church organizations and relief agencies. Funds provide
for food, medicine, drinking water, emergency shelter and
other materials for survivors of disasters.
-- -- --
Information about the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and
Program is at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger on the ELCA Web
site.
INTERNATIONAL DISASTERS:
Editors: When listing organizations receiving funds for
aid to survivors of major disasters outside the United
States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, please
include:
ELCA International Disaster Response, PO Box 71764,
Chicago, IL 60694-1764, 1-800-638-3522 and
http://www.ELCA.org/disaster/idrgive on the Internet.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
